Honor in Blood
by Souchou
Summary: In one year Kataki will return to battle the Dragon Warrior Po. Can Po stop goofing off long enough to defeat him? Can everyone else get their hormones under control? Or will the honor of Kung Fu die with him? (It's not a Po/Tigress story, or any other pair story. It's a Furious Five and Valley of Peace story. Even I do not know what romances will come about. Updates sporadically.)
1. Chapter 1

-1-

"You are my enemy dragon warrior," The large beast of a man practically spat out the words 'dragon warrior' as if they were bad food. He was in a traveling cloak with the hood drawn over his head in such a way that you could not get a good look at his features. Po squinted at him in the light of the setting sun. The features were feline as far as he could tell, but the cloak hid his enemy's body from him. He was unable to tell if he was muscular or just large with fat.

"Show your face," Po said trying to muster up some courage. "If you are truly my enemy then I would like to know what my enemy looks like."

The other chuckled softly before speaking again in a voice that dripped with malice, "I will return here in one year to kill you. Take that year to train, because if you do not and I kill you easily then you will have disgraced not only yourself but the name of KungFu as well."

With a rustling of his cloak the man turned his back on Po and began striding away from him towards the mountains.

"Hey! HEY! Come back here! What's your name?! Who are you?! Why do you hate me!" Po screamed after him but didn't take a step forward to follow him. The man turned to face Po again and pulled his hood down so that he was framed by the setting sun in Po's vision. A monster of a man with a long wild black mane framing his chiseled feline features.

"My name is Haraise Kataki," The man roared at him. "Remember it well for we are sworn blood enemies."

"Harass?" Po tried to pronounce the name.

"That," The maned lion paused and strode a few paces back to Po until they were standing nose to nose. Po could smell the man's breath hot on his face as he stared up in to the vengeful yellow eyes. "Is my last name. My name is Kataki. Do not forget it."

Po averted his gaze first looking past the man to the setting sun he was practically trembling because he had never once after defeating Tai Lung been challenged by anyone. Kataki pulled his hood back over his head as he spun on his heel and walked away from Po.

"Remember, Panda," Kataki called back to him. "Not only is your life on the line here, but also the very spirit and pride of KungFu. If you fail you fail not only yourself, your family, and your village. You will shame an entire martial art."

Po waited until Kataki was gone, and then waited an hour longer to be completely sure before he ran as fast as his squat legs would carry him back to the Jade Palace. Out of breath and ravenously hungry he burst through the gate.

"Help m…" Po started but just as he lifted his paw he fell face first on to the floor.

"Po?!" The furious five exclaimed as they rushed around him.

"Get back. Give him some room!" Master Shifu shouted at them as he pushed by them to stand in front of Po. "PO! What is the meaning of this?! You were missing from practice, and you missed dinner. That is not like you! Explain yourself!"

"Well, you see," Po stammered as he rolled over and rocked in to a sitting position on the ground in front of his master. "There was this guy who challenged me by the river. He said that he and I were blood enemies. But I don't know him and he looked spooky! He had a cat's head, but it had fur all around it like a necklace!"

"What you saw was a lion, Po." Viper chimed in. "We've been seeing a lot more of them coming to our lands from other parts of the world."

Po nodded dumbly, "But master."

"There is no excuse, Po." Master Shifu said. "You should have been here for practice. If you hadn't have wandered off again you would not have met this man and you wouldn't be in the state which you are now."

"Yes, master." Po said standing up and bowing his head in defeat. "I shouldn't have left when it was so close to practice time. It won't happen again."

Master Shifu's eyes softened as he looked up at Po again.

"What of this blood enemy?" Master Shifu asked quietly.

"He just said that he will be back in one year and I have to be ready to defeat him. He said that if I lose I will disgrace not just China but anyone who practices KungFu," Po sighed heavily again.

"Well, you have let yourself go, Po," A soft lilting voice spoke from behind everyone. They all turned to Mei Ling as she approached them. "But a lion should be no problem for the dragon warrior, right?" Mei Ling winked at Po and Po felt his face getting hot and red under his fur. He was sure that everyone could see him blushing. Po looked down at his feet in embarrassment. He looked back up to see everyone looking around in confusion.

"Where is Tigress?" Mei Ling spoke the question in everyone's minds.

Tigress raced along the river's edge her sensitive nose sniffing the air. She was trying to catch the scent of Po and then Po's enemy. She came to a halt next to a cluster of bamboo that looked like they had been smashed by a boulder. She sniffed and caught Po's scent. 'Not smashed,' She thought to herself. 'But very eaten.'

She inhaled sharply as she caught the scent of the other. A very male scent that made her fur stand on end and tingle. She shook off the feeling quickly as she raced down the path towards the mountain where Kataki had went. The path went from steep to nearly impossible in a few leaps. Tigress was determined to find this man, and stop this feud before it started. She didn't realize however that this feud had been started even before Po had been born.

"It's all my fault," Po sniffled as he sat in his room. Viper and Crane stood in front of him with Mei Ling standing just a big behind them. If Viper had turned at that moment she would have seen the hate Mei Ling had seething from her eyes as she stared a hole in to the back of Viper's head.

"It's not your fault, Po," Mei Ling said sweetly as she pushed past Viper and Crane to sit next to Po on his Tatami mat. Crane gave her a quizzical look that she ignored as she put her arm around Po's shoulders as best she could because of his size. Crane gave Po a glare, and Mei Ling felt herself smiling on the inside as she rubbed Po's back with a paw.

"Yes, it… it… izzzz!" Po let out a wail and turned to bury his head against Mei Ling's chest. Everyone looked shocked for a moment, but it was Mei Ling who recovered first and stroked between Po's ears as he clutched her around the waist, hiding his head against her chest.

"No, it's not. Shhhhh… Shhhhh…" Mei Ling cooed sweetly at him as she continued to stroke his fur. Crane's eyes were now shooting daggers at Po as he tipped his head forward so that his hat would hide the hate in his eyes. Viper looked up at Crane and caught his dark look for a moment before his hat shifted over his eyes. She looked from Mei Ling to Crane and then turned around and slithered out of the room without another word. Crane sensed her leaving rather then actually seeing it.

"I'm pretty beat myself," Crane said stretching and yawning loudly. "Master Shifu will probably be able to sort all of this out in the morning. You should get some rest, Po."

Po sniffed loudly and nodded his head against Mei Ling's chest unintentionally setting a deep rumbling purr out of her. Mei Ling blushed slightly at the unexpected purr, but Crane was already retreating hastily from the room. His patience had been broken with that last action. He breathed deeply as he walked to his own room trying to quell the urge to burst back in to Po's room and kill him for touching Mei Ling.

"What are you so angry about?" Viper's voice called to him from outside Crane's door.

"I am not angry!" Crane snapped as he slid the door open angrily the rice paper ripped slightly as it grated the frame of the sliding door.

"I would say it looks as if you are," Viper said as she slithered in to the room shutting the door behind her with a quick flick of her tail. Crane put his hat on a hook on his wall.

"I'm not. It's just that Po can be so irritating sometimes!" Crane said not looking at Viper as he preened his feathers slowly trying to avoid her eyes.

"What is annoying about someone being afraid of fighting to the death? I would be afraid if someone came to attempt to kill me," Viper said softly.

"I wouldn't let that happen," Crane said venomously. "If some man so much as touched you I would tear him apart!"

Viper smiled as she watched Crane now preening his feathers with such force he was ripping quite a few of them out of his body. Viper slithered towards him and then up his legs and on to his body. She wrapped herself around his neck so that her face was staring at his eyes from the top of his beak.

"Do you love me?" Viper asked lowering her eyelids as she asked him. Crane smiled slightly the smile dancing up his beak and in to his eyes.

"I have loved you since the day I came to the Jade Palace," Crane sighed still smiling at Viper. "You were the only one who believed in me here. You stood up for me when no one else would."

"What about Mei Ling?" Viper asked her soft voice cracking slightly as she said Mei Ling's name.

"She is only my friend." Crane said closing his eyes so that Viper couldn't read the falsity of his statement. "Nothing more."

Silently, Viper nodded as she snaked forward to kiss Crane gently between his eyes. She slithered off of him and left the room without another word. Crane let out a sigh. He hated lying to Viper but if he told her that after all these years he still had strong feelings for Mei Ling she would possibly kill him, or worse kill Mei Ling. She would definitely kill the two of them if she ever heard what had happened between the two of them the day Mei Ling had come to the Jade Palace to complete her training after her master died. Crane felt a stirring and smiled to himself but that warm feeling was quickly replaced with the scene of Po's head buried against Mei Ling's breasts while she purred contentedly.

Without another thought Crane hopped up on his windowsill looking back in to his room sadly before soaring up in to the night sky.

Tigress pushed back vines that covered a large opening in the mountain. As soon as the vines were pushed away the scent of the man she had been tracking whooshed out to greet her. She knew at that moment she was in the right place. Cautiously, she entered the cave letting the vines swing back over the entrance behind her. Slowly with one paw against the wall and the other thrust out in front of her she made her way down the passage. Within a few steps what little light had been filtering in from the vine door was gone now making passage completely dark. She perked her ears listening for any sign of the man that had threatened Po's life. Continuing down the path for what seemed like hours she almost fell on her face as the hallway dumped in to a large pitch black room.

"You really should be more careful," A husky male voice said as the room was suddenly illuminated by at least one thousand tiny candles. Tigress blinked and was blinded by the suddenness of the light. She was lifted roughly to her feet and pushed up against a cold stone wall.

"I came to speak to you about…" Tigress took a deep breath as her eyes adjusted to the light and she looked up at her assailant. A gasp escaped her throat as she let her eyes feast on his handsome feline features. The lion was completely black except for white that ran from his lower lip, under his chin, down his neck, and disappeared in to his shirt. The lion looked down his muzzle at her and breathed in deeply.

"You want to talk to me about the Dragon Warrior," He whispered gruffly.

"How di…"

"I can smell him on you," The lion growled lightly. "You practically reek of him. I could smell you coming the moment you opened my door."

Tigress blushed. She had been careless. She hadn't bathed in the stream to wash off all the scents of the day. He could probably even smell the noodles she had dropped on her shirt at lunch, and then the sweat of her training. She blushed deeply and lowered her head closing her eyes.

"But what to do about you," The lion whispered placing his paws on either side of her head against the wall. "I suppose I'll have to kill you since you found my home."

With shock she looked up at him trying to gauge his intentions from his eyes, but there was no emotion there for her to read.

"You wouldn't kill a woman, would you?" She gasped.

"Woman? You're a woman?!" The lion roared in a mocking tone.

"Yes," Tigress answered sheepishly. "Couldn't you tell?"

"Oh, yes." The lion nodded with a small smile on his muzzle. "And honor says we don't kill the weak, feeble, or innocent. But…" The lion leaned his muzzle in to touch his nose to her own. "When you took up the title of warrior you left behind the title woman. You can not be both. You made your choice."

"Bu… but… " Tigress stammered in an attempt to think.

"There are no buts," The lion roared at her. "You either are a woman or you are a warrior you can not be both. So, which is it?"

"I am a warrior," Tigress whispered.

"You don't sound very sure of that," The lion said, "But where are my manners." Kataki took a few steps back from her and swept a paw through his long mane. "It is only fitting that you should know the name of the man who is about to kill you. My name is Kataki, and I am destined to kill the Dragon Warrior and any who stand in my path."

"My name is Tigress," Tigress told him softly. "Master Tigress."

"Master? You are a master?" Kataki laughed lightly and Tigress blushed in anger.

"What is so funny about that?" Tigress demanded her paws balled up in outrage.

"The fact that everyone here seems so backwards. You are a master and a big fat panda is a dragon warrior. It seems that mountain living has made everyone dulled by the lack of oxygen." Kataki chuckled before the sound much like a shotgun echoed off the walls. Tigress stood in front of Kataki her paw still raised after slapping him across his muzzle. Kataki smiled slightly as he licked the blood off his lip.

"I won't stand for your insolence against our lands and people!" Tigress exclaimed dropping her fists to her sides.

"Good," Kataki nodded at her with a smile. "You have fight in you. I'm going to enjoy this." He took up an aggressive stance. "Defend yourself Master Tigress."

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	2. Chapter 2

-2-

Crane perched atop a tree overlooking the Valley of Peace. He smiled thinking back to the day that he first met Viper. She did her best to make him feel at home and he would be forever grateful to her for all the kindness she had showed him. He lowered his head looking at the ground below the tree. He thought that he had sensed movement for a moment, but a light breeze sighed through the trees making the branches of the trees rustle around him. Slowly, he let his guard down. He looked up at the stars and thought of Mei Ling. The day that she had come to the Jade Palace to complete her training after her master had died. Crane had tried to make her feel as welcome as Viper had made him feel all those years ago. He didn't know what a mistake that would turn out to be. Mei Ling caught him the same night outside the palace walls staring up at the stars he had been waiting for Viper. Mei Ling came closer and stood next to him she had asked what he was doing. He told her that he was star gazing and had pointed out a few constellations that he knew to her, but also explained that the stars and the night air helped calm his mind. When he had turned back to her she reached out and pulled him against her kissing him on the tip of his beak and working her kisses upwards until she kissed him between the eyes. When she finally released him he looked at her in what must have been obvious confusion because she had giggled at him.

"I have been wanting to do that since the day we met," She had said to him. She nuzzled under his wing and purred as she rubbed her head against his chest. Crane had been speechless. He didn't know what to say, and just like that she had ran back up the steps. He stood watching even after she slipped through the gate.

Shaking his head slightly to clear out the ghosts from the past before he took flight back to the palace. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed 3 pairs of eyes watching from the trees around him. The felines stood up on the branches after he left and nodded to one another. With only a slight whooshing sound of splitting air they dropped through the trees and out of sight.

Viper sat curled in Crane's room she hadn't been meaning to snoop, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her. She had been reading the scrolls he had been writing. Some were poetry, others were notes on combat, and others had recipes that she suspected Po had given him since everything appeared to have noodles as the main ingredient. She uncurled herself and was about to leave when a slip of paper caught her eye. She turned and pulled it from under a blanket that lay folded atop it. Gasping in shock she dropped it to the floor. Her eyes quickly turning from sadness to outrage as she stared at the paper as if it were something vile that had just struck her. She fled Crane's room as quickly as she could slither without bothering to shut the door. Po watched Viper leave Crane's room and walked in to the hall to close the door. Just then the paper blown by the wind tumbled out in to the hall. Po stooped down to pick it up. He started to walk in to Crane's room to put the paper back inside, but then Po happened to look down at it. He stared wide-eyed for a moment then began to giggle. It was a funny anime-ish drawing of Mei Ling kissing Crane. Po was still giggling when Crane walked up behind him.

"Po?" Crane said. Po turned to him tears in his eyes from laughing. "Po… What…?!"

"It blew out of your room when Viper left," Po told him as Crane viciously snatched the paper out of Po's paw.

"Viper saw this?" Crane asked clearly embarrassed and agitated by the situation.

"I think so," Po said. "She zoomed out and I didn't even get a hello from her. It's like she didn't see me."

"I see," Crane said quietly tucking the drawing in to a pouch at his hip. "Excuse me, Po. I have to find her to explain."

"Explain what?" Po asked. "I like the picture. It's funny."

"Yes, well," Crane cleared his throat. "I still have to find her."

Viper sat at the bottom step of the Jade palace looking at the ground. She had been angry when she had seen the drawing, but with the time it took her to slither down she had time to think. She curled in a coil at the bottom of the step feeling sad and wondering what the drawing meant. Did Crane draw it or did someone else draw it for him. Did Mei Ling draw it for him? Did Po? She was about to turn to go start back up the steps of the palace when something sped past her vision. She turned to look and spotted another shadow race past a grove of bamboo. She took up a defensive stance and waited. Nothing moved. Not even a shadow flickered. The wind even seemed to be holding it's breath with her. She coiled motionless for what seemed like hours to her, but nothing else moved. Slowly, she uncoiled to start back up the steps. She turned her head to look behind her for a moment but everything was dark and silent. She dismissed what she had seen for a wild animal.

When she turned back to the steps she froze. Standing in front of her on three different steps were shadows with eyes glowing out of them. She looked up at the eyes and at that moment the moon shone down through the trees revealing three feline forms. The closest one crouched down in front of her with a slow grace that was hypnotic.

"Where is our sister?" It hissed at her as she stared in to a face that looked much like Mei Ling's.

"Sister?" Viper asked.

"Do not play stupid with us! She's here!" The one on the furthest step shouted. The one in front of Viper put up a paw to silence the other.

"Yes, our sister," The feline in front of Viper said with a calm coolness that sent a cold chill racing through Viper's body.

"I don't know your sister," Viper said nervously. "I don't know any other felines other then Tigress and Mei Ling."

"She's here!" The one from the second step shouted in triumph. The first nodded her head ever so slightly.

"Thank you for your information," The feline said to Viper, but before Viper could ask any questions or say anything she felt herself being thrown through the air. Blackness enveloped her and she welcomed it as it came to take her away from the three strange feline women.

Crane who had been flying above the palace looking for Viper had watched the entire scene from above. When he perched atop a tree he had pushed the branches enough so that sunlight had illuminated the three forms standing in front of Viper. He watched waiting to see what would happen more then sure that Viper could hold her own against these three frail looking figures. But after the one closest to Viper had nodded the figure had hit Viper with such ferocity that it caused Viper to go flying off of the steps and head first in to the trunk of a tree. The three had vanished as quickly as they had appeared. In a rage Crane flew down as quickly as he could to find Viper.

He found her lying on the ground with her eyes closed. She had blood trickling out of the top of her head and out of the corners of her mouth. Gasping Crane reached down to lift her head. Her entire body was cold and limp. With no effort at all Crane hauled her long body upon his back and cradling her head in one of his taloned feet he flew straight up and then towards the Jade Palace. Master Shifu would know what to do. As he flew as quickly as he dared carrying his precious cargo as he silently blamed himself. This would never have happened if he had just remained in his room.

"Are you ready _Master Tigress_?" Kataki taunted as he walked slow circles around Tigress lunging at her and then taking a step back.

"You do not appear ready yourself with the way you seem so unsure of yourself," Tigress quipped at him.

"Unsure?" Kataki chuckled softly. "This is how you test your enemies defenses. Or did your master never teach you that?" Tigress blushed slightly. She kept her guard up and watched Kataki circling her. After every four steps or so he would lunge at her. She would take the next opening to attack. One… Two… Three… FOUR! Tigress lunged at Kataki with a punch that landed on… Nothing. Kataki laughed from behind her as she felt a sharp pain between her shoulder blades.

"I seen you counting," Kataki laughed at her confusion. "You really think anyone would be that predictable?"

Tigress growled and sucked her breath in trying to mask her embarrassment for being over eager to try to end this quickly.

"What do you have against Po?" She asked as she two began to circle Kataki.

"Ah, yes," Kataki grinned at her. "The dragon warrior. Why are you so concerned? What is he to you?"

"He is my friend," Tigress said with a light growl.

"Friend? Or is he more then that to you?" Kataki growled and lunged forward. He caught Tigress by the wrist as she punched at him. She punched at him with her other fist which was just as easily caught. Kataki pushed her against the wall with her wrists pinned above her head. He leaned his muzzle close to her face and smiled.

"What are you insinuating?" Tigress growled at him as she tried to kick him in the groin but Kataki pushed his body against hers making kicking impossible.

"What I'm asking is..." Kataki laughed. "Is that PANDA your mate?"

Tigress's look of anger went from shock to amusement in only a second.

"Po?!" She laughed now. "My boyfriend?" It was Kataki's turn to look shocked now. He had expected to have hit a nerve, but hadn't expected her to laugh. His grip loosened around her wrists as confusion took over. Tigress was still laughing as if someone had told her the world's funniest joke.

"Then?" Kataki started as he tightened his grip once more as his senses returned.

"He's not. Even though he's the Dragon Warrior I am still the leader and I take my role very seriously." Tigress explained to him as she got control of herself, but she still had a vague smile on her muzzle. "He isn't a skilled Master. I believe he only got lucky in destroying Tai Lung. He is always late for practice and he is always eating. He never takes training seriously. He's an utter disgrace." Tigress's eyes turned dark as she spoke to Kataki about Po. "He makes jokes, and seems to think everyone should be laughing, eating, and having a good time instead of training. We have a duty to the people of the Valley of Peace to protect them! Not to amuse them with jokes and idiotic dancing."

Kataki chuckled lightly as he pressed his nose against Tigress's own.

"I could make him go away," Kataki whispered throatily. "I could take him off your paws for good. He would never again ruin a practice and then you would be the new dragon warrior. Don't you think you should have been the Dragon Warrior?"

"Y.. I... Master Oogway... He was pointing to me. That fat panda fell from the sky and that drunk turtle said he was pointing at Po!" Tigress vented her eyes sparking with a hateful fire. "He was always drunk. He probably couldn't even tell it was a panda he was pointing at!"

"Master Oogway was a fool," Kataki whispered with his nose still pressed against Tigress's own. "He was old and senile! You should have been the Dragon Warrior! I can make that happen."

"H... How?" Tigress asked her red eyes transfixed on Kataki's own red/yellow eyes.

"Kill him, of course," Kataki said in a matter of fact tone.

"Kill him?!" Tigress shouted the spell broken.

"What did you think I was going to do?!" Kataki growled at her pushing his nose hard against her own angling his head until their foreheads were touching. His whiskers flicking in agitation.

"I... I..." Tigress mumbled.

"Did you think I could just ask him to leave?" Kataki growled. "Do you think he would? I'm going to kill him like he killed m..." Kataki froze and pulled his head away from Tigress.

"Killed who?" Tigress asked.

"No one! Nothing!" Kataki growled again.

"Who?" Tigress asked again in a more demanding tone.

"Never mind!" Kataki roared as he dragged Tigress by the wrists.

"Where are you taking me?!" Tigress demanded, but Kataki didn't answer her he continued pulling her by both wrists up the narrow passage. He pulled her outside. She blinked in the light of the rising sun.

"Leave here!" Kataki hissed at her. "Leave here and never return!"

"Who did Po kill?!" Tigress growled at him. "That's a serious offense if he's killed someone then he will be punished, but by us! Not by some wandering vagabond!"

"Get out of here," Kataki growled again as he retreated in to the narrow passage pulling the vines closed behind him. "Do not return! I am giving you your life. I could have taken it from you, but I am feeling generous today. I may not be so generous next time."

"What?" Tigress growled at the vines. "I... I'm coming back!"

"Don't," Kataki's voice growled back. "That could prove to be a fatal mistake."

* * *

"Give her some time to rest," Master Shifu said as the small red panda sat next to the bed where Viper was lying. He ran one of his old paws over her head. "It was just a small bump and the wound on her head was nothing more then a scratch. Head wounds tend to bleed more then other wounds."

"How long, Master?" Crane asked in concern as he stood next to Viper's bed.

"She'll wake when she's ready," Master Shifu told him as he turned to walk out of the room.

"Master?" Crane started.  
"Yes, Crane?" Master Shifu said turning back to Crane.

"Thank you," Crane said with a small bow. Master Shifu smiled slightly at him as he left the room quietly shutting the door behind him.

Crane crouched next to Viper's bed.

"I'm sorry, Viper," Crane said. "I should have told you about Mei Ling. But I never expected to see her again. And now she's here living under the same roof as me. I don't know how I feel about her." Crane sighed heavily and reached a wing out to brush back one of Viper's bows. "But I know I love you, Viper."

Mei Ling stood in the hall listening to Crane talking to Viper. She had heard that Crane had brought Viper back. At first she had thought they had gotten in to a fight with each other, but then listened to Crane explaining everything to Master Shifu. Smiling to herself mischievously she opened Viper's door and slipped silently inside. Crane was still crouching next to Viper's bed. Padding across the floor Mei Ling came up behind Crane and snaked an arm over his neck and the other under one of his wings pulling him backwards against her in a hug.

"Wha?!" Crane exclaimed as he was pulled backwards against her.

"Shh. Shh. Shh. Shh." Mei Ling shushed him. "You'll wake Viper."

"Mei Ling! What are you doing?!" Crane exclaimed in as quiet of a whisper as he could manage.

"Nothing," Mei Ling purred as she rubbed her head up and down his slender neck.

"You can't keep doing this," Crane whispered at the same time he felt a tingling sensation racing down his spine.

"Doing what?" Mei Ling asked innocently as she ran a paw up the back of his neck to the top of his head before racing back down again.

"What you're doing right now," Crane hissed. "You can't keep ambushing me like this."

"Shhhh," Mei Ling said as she snaked around Crane so that she was in front of him. She pulled him against her and kissed him between the eyes. Crane groaned lightly at the touch of her lips he felt a stirring in his loins as she pressed her hips against his own.

"CRANE?!" Viper's voice cut through the air like a knife immediately killing any stirrings he had been having. Crane bowled over Mei Ling knocking her to the floor in his headlong rush to Viper, but Viper was coiled up on her bed her tail twitching wildly.

"Viper! Thank god you're okay," Crane said as he crouched next to her bed, but nothing could have prepared him for the slap across the face that came from Viper's wildly twitching tail. Crane reeled backwards as if he had been hit by a truck.

"GET OUT!" Viper screamed. "BOTH OF YOU JUST GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!"

Mei Ling had already ran out the door after Crane had been slapped across the face, but stood in the hallway waiting for him. Crane closed the door to Viper's room. When he heard her crying from within he was tempted to go back inside, but Mei Ling grabbed him from behind once again.

"Stop it!" Crane told her as he pulled her arms from around himself and forced them to her sides.

"Crane?" Mei Ling started but Crane held up his wing to cut her off.

"Listen, I like you. As a friend, but you can't keep throwing yourself at me like some harlot!" Crane had only just got out the word harlot before a loud clap rang through the hall and he felt himself being jarred backwards once more. He crashed through the rice paper wall of Mantis's room.

"Crane?" Mantis said jumping on his chest and looking down at him. "You okay?"

"Ye..." Crane started but Mei Ling loomed over him a look of disgust and disappointment on her face.

"Harlot?! I try to give you love and you call me a harlot! GO TO HELL, CRANE!!" Mei Ling shrieked at him before running away down the hall.

"Harlot?" Monkey asked looking in to the room at Crane who was still lying on the floor with his Kung Fu brother standing on his chest.

"What's going on here, Crane?" Mantis asked.

"Yeah, what _is_ going on here?" Monkey asked.

"And don't leave out any of the dirty little details," Mantis interjected.

"There's nothing to tell," Crane said sitting up. Mantis jumped off him and on to Monkey's shoulder.

"Spill it," Monkey said. "We heard Viper yelling, and then Mei Ling yells at you and you say it's nothing?"

"It is nothing," Crane said.

"Nothing?" Mantis asked. "Two women hit you and you say it's nothing?"

"How did you know that they..." Crane started but Monkey was pointing to Crane's face.

"You've got two swollen cheeks, and I'm not talking about your butt," Monkey laughed. Crane reached a wing up and gingerly touched first one cheek and then the other wincing as he did.

"Well, Mei Ling..." Crane sighed. "We used to be very good friends when we were both younger. We did everything together. But then one day she had to leave to start training somewhere. We made a pact that when we both were old enough we'd be married."

"MARRIED?!" Mantis and Monkey both exclaimed and Monkey slid around behind Crane to put an arm around his shoulder. Mantis jumped to perch on his head and look in to his eyes upside down.

"You let them tie you down, but you don't let them tie you down with marriage," Mantis said.

"Mantis is right," Monkey said. "We're all studs. Master's of Kung Fu. We can have any women we want!"

"Have you ever had any women?" Crane asked. Mantis jumped back on to Monkey's shoulder.

"Crane, that isn't the point. Women throw themselves at us, and it's all because we're studs in the prime of our lives. You get tied down and all those women are just going to be wasted! Especially, if Monkey gets to them first!" Mantis said with Monkey grinning and nodding.

"What you need, my brother is a boy's night out!" Monkey said. "We'll go in to town and have a few drinks. Just the three of us! No women!"

"But I really should go calm Viper..." Crane started but Monkey grabbed his beak in his hand as forced him to stop talking.

"Start thinking with your loins and not with your brain!" Mantis told him. Without taking his hand off Crane's beak Monkey started walking leading the captive Crane behind him. Mantis turned around to face Crane. "This is gonna be great!"

"Yeah," Monkey laughed. "We're gonna show you how to loosen up!"

'I've got a bad feeling about this,' Crane thought hopelessly to himself as he was dragged from the Jade Palace.

Tigress was coming up the steps of the Jade Palace, and heard the scuffling and arguing of the three. Not wanting to talk to anyone since she was still angry with herself for not having defeated Kataki or finding out who Po had murdered she lunged in to some shrubbery on the side of the steps.

"Crane, you're going to love the place we go," Mantis was saying to Crane who Monkey still had seized by his long beak. Crane was trying in vain to protest but nothing was coming out but "buf id hab te cee ird vrprs sariet."

"Forget about it, Crane," Monkey told him. "You're coming with us because you seriously need to relax."

"Yeah, and we know all about relaxing," Mantis said as he laid sideways on Monkey's shoulder and watched the helpless Crane being led by Monkey. Crane's eyes flicked sideways and he spotted Tigress watching them. She caught his eyes and put her finger to her lips in a shushing motion.

"Vrpr! Vrpr! Igrss cee Vrpr!" Crane cried out as loudly as he could, before Monkey clenched his paw tighter around Crane's beak.

"That's enough, Crane." Monkey said as he picked Crane up and Mantis jumped on Crane's beak holding it closed as they ran off in to the night. "VRPR!" Came Crane's last echoing cry as they faded from sight moving faster now that Monkey was carrying Crane and running as fast as his legs would carry him.

Tigress lunged out of the bushes and back on to the steps.

'What was that about?' She wondered as she ran up the palace steps. She opened the doors to the dormitory and crept inside closing it silently behind her. Turning around she spotted Viper and Mei Ling shooting daggers from their eyes at each other from the entrances of their rooms. They didn't look towards Tigress but at the same moment they both turned their backs to one another and violently yanked their doors closed.

'What is going on tonight?!' Tigress thought to herself, but her curiosity would have to wait until morning, because after she was alone in the hall she realized how tired she was. Walking to her room she peeled off her clothes. Pushing them to to the side next to the door she laid down on her rattan mat and instantly fell asleep as soon as she pulled her blanket over her naked body.

Later that night as Master Shifu was walking through the hall as he did every night to make sure his students were safe. As he passed by Tigress's room his nose perked up. He quietly opened Tigress's door and sniffed the air inside. 'A stranger...,' He thought to himself. 'And male... ' Shifu closed the door of her room and then walked out of the dormitory. Tigress had been around a strange male and the scent was foreign to Shifu but it was also oddly familiar. His mind was confused at the fact that Tigress hadn't told anyone about a stranger in the valley. Shifu chuckled and chided himself for being such an overprotective father.

"She was probably just out helping some stranger in the valley," He reassured himself. "That's what it has to be. Tigress is always helping people. She's such a good girl."

Shifu walked to his small house set away from the dormitory next to a couple other small unoccupied houses. He walked in and shut the door convinced that Tigress had only been out helping strangers in the valley. He laughed lightly as he climbed in to his own bed. He couldn't believe he had thought Tigress had been out with some male. Not Tigress. He loved her like a daughter and the thought of her being around some strange male made his fatherly protectiveness leap forward to defend his little girl. He pushed off his misgivings as he slowly fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

-3-

Mantis was sitting on the bar in front of Monkey and Crane. Crane was looking miserable under his large hat. He had it pulled down so no one could see his face or the shame etched across it. He really had meant to tend to Viper, but then Mei Ling entered the room just as Viper woke up. He growled lightly to himself in irritation. He should be back at the palace explaining to Viper what had happened. He shouldn't be here with Monkey who was steadily getting drunk, and Mantis who was drinking more spirits then he should have the stomach room for.

"Cheer up, Crane!" Monkey said putting his arm around his Kung Fu brother. "You should be enjoying yourself. Mantis and I come here all the time. It's a great place."

"Yeah, Crane," Mantis said as he wiped froth off of his mouth with a pincer.

"I can't," Crane said. "Everything that's been happening is my fault."

"What has been happening, Crane?" Monkey asked leaning his face closer to Crane's in an attempt to stop Crane from becoming two Cranes in his eyes.

Crane pushed him away, and looked towards the door.

"I'm going to go home if you guys don't mind," Crane said putting some cash down on the bar as he rose from his stool.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Monkey said grabbing Crane around the neck. "You're going to have fun tonight. We brought here you brood to stop."

"I think he means we brought you here so you'd stop brooding," Mantis said.

"Yeah, what he said," Monkey said as he picked up a large wooden cup from the bar. He stepped on Crane's toes, and when Crane yelled he poured the contents of the cup down Crane's throat. Gulping and spluttering Crane grabbed Monkey and was going to preceded to shake him, but stopped as the liquor hit his guts making his body heat.

"Like it?" Mantis asked as Crane sat back down on the stool.

"What is it?" Crane asked.

"Sake," Mantis replied. "It's imported from the East."

"It smells like wood," Crane replied. "And it's warm."

"It's brewed in cedar tanks," Monkey replied. "It's best when it's warm."

Mantis laughed lightly, "Because anyone who tells you to drink it cold is trying to mask imperfections. When it's ice cold it doesn't have any flavor. When it's warm it's delicious."

Crane nodded slightly as he drank another glass. The bartender walked over and filled his glass again and smiled slightly.

"Don't drink too much of this stuff," he warned Crane. "It kicks like a mule."

"HEY!" A patron yelled from somewhere in the bar.

"What? You don't kick hard?!" The bartender shouted back as the bar erupted in laughter.

"So, what has been happening?" Monkey asked Crane again. With a sigh Crane looked at both his friends as he took off his hat and put it in front of him on the floor.

"Mei Ling and Viper have been fighting," Crane sighed again. "Over me."

"Over you?!" They both exclaimed in unison. "Why?!"

"Well, I knew Mei Ling years ago. Long before I came to the Jade Palace. I was a janitor at the school she studied at."

"You old dog you!" Monkey said.

"What do you want?!" Another patron shouted.

"Not you!" Monkey shouted back with a laugh.

"So, you like school girls?" Mantis asked with a chuckle. "Did she wear one of those little uniforms?"

"No, no no no!" Crane exclaimed almost falling off his stool as he waved his wings in protest. "It was nothing like that. I wanted to study Kung Fu, but..."

"But?" Monkey urged him on.

"But I wasn't made for it. See..." He held out his wings and legs towards Monkey and this time he did slip backwards off his stool. Monkey reached out and helped him back to his seat.

"You do fine," Mantis said seemingly unaffected by the alcohol he was consuming.

"I do now, but then... Well, I got laughed at by everyone," Crane sighed deeply. "Everyone except her. She encouraged me to try out for the school. Even though I was older than the other students."

"Oh," Monkey said.

"So, there was nothing going on between the two of you?" Mantis asked with slight disappointment in his voice.

"No, nothing. I mean she'd give me a cheek kiss every now and then, but nothing perverse," Crane told them. "We were just really good friends."

"So, what about now?" Mantis asked.

"I don't know," Crane said. "She seems to want to be more then my friend."

"Is that why you got slapped?" Monkey asked.

"Well, I did call her a name," Crane said. "But I didn't know what else to do. Everywhere I go there's Mei Ling. I go out for a walk in the valley and there she is watching me. I go to train and there she is. I go to my room and..."

"Really? In your room?" Monkey asked. "Want to switch rooms?"

"What? No!" Crane said. "I like Mei Ling, but I don't like her like that."

"Why not?" Monkey asked. "I mean she's... OW!"

"Sorry," Mantis said removing his pincer from Monkey's paw.

"I only have eyes for Viper," Crane confessed.

"I don't know why," Monkey said. "I mean the only thing she could do was give you a... OW! DAMMIT, MANTIS!"

"I guess I'm a little more drunk then I thought," Mantis laughed pulling his pincer out of Monkey's paw again.

Crane downed another glass of warm sake and looked around the bar. At that moment Mei Ling walked in.

"Oh, what the hell?" Crane groaned.

"What?!" Monkey and Mantis asked looking around the bar.

"Mei Ling just came in," Crane groaned.

"Where?" Mantis asked looking around, and then he spotted the woman. She looked a lot like Mei Ling, but was more gray with violet eyes.

"That's not Mei Ling," Mantis said. "I think you should slow down on the sake. It's potent."

"And expensive," Monkey added.

"Alright," Crane mumbled as he drank another glass of sake in one gulp. He looked back to the door and seen Mei Ling walk in again. Crane turned back towards the bar and studied his glass which the bartender came by and filled again for him. Crane nodded and drank the sake in one gulp before turning back around to look at the door again. And once again Mei Ling walked in.

"I got Mei Ling on the brain," Crane said turning to Monkey, but Monkey turned out to be a Rhino.

"What did you say, little man?" The rhino asked.

"Nothing, Monkey," Crane said.

"What did you call me?!" The rhino asked but Monkey tapped Crane on the shoulder.

"I'm over here, Crane," Monkey said getting Crane's attention as he mouthed 'he's drunk' to the rhino. The rhino shrugged and went back to nursing his own drink.

"Are you okay, Crane?" Mantis asked.

"Never better," Crane laughed. "I just seen three Mei Ling's walk in to this bar. Thought Monkey turned in to a rhino and almost got Viper killed. I'm having a fantastic day." Mantis and Monkey shrugged at each other and turned their attention back to their drinks. Crane looked around the bar and begin seeing every patron's head transforming slowly in to Mei Ling. He rubbed his eyes with his wings and looked again, but now everyone looked like Mei Ling. There were fat ones, tall ones, skinny ones, and ones that were horrible looking wrecks of the woman he knew. He turned towards Monkey and Mantis who looked up at him with their own Mei Ling heads attached to their own bodies. He turned to the rhino who was a wreck of Mei Ling. Laughing, Crane grabbed the rhino on each side of his face. Monkey and Mantis watched in shock as he did.

"You are the ugliest Mei Ling I have ever seen in my life," Crane said. The rhino's eyes got huge with shock.

"But," The rhino started, but Crane put a wing tip against his lips.

"Shhh... Don't talk," Crane told him. "I love Viper, but I'm always going to be your friend." And with that he planted a beak kiss on the rhino's mouth. The rhino roared out. Lunging off his stool he had Crane around the neck and lifted him off of the stool he had been sitting on.

"I'm going to kill you, bird brain!" The rhino roared as he pulled his fist back readying his strike for Crane's head.

"I'm sorry, Mei Ling. I love Viper. You can hit me all you want, but that's not going to change anything." Crane laughed at the rhino. Other patrons were turning to look at the scene.

"Oh, I don't intend to just hit you!" The rhino raged. "I intend to kill you."

The fist came whistling through the air at Crane's head. Just as Mantis leaped on to the rhino's fist and flung the rhino headfirst in to a table of patrons. Liquor and food went flying in to the air and on to other customers. Monkey leaped in between and pulled Crane away to safety. The roars of outrage were deafening. Monkey ducked and pushed Crane to the ground just as a whole table went sailing over them.

"We better go," Mantis said as he landed on the floor in front of them.

"This floor smells like urine," Crane laughed as Monkey still had his paw pressing down on Crane's head to keep him from getting hit.

"Can he walk?" Mantis asked.

"I don't think so," Monkey laughed. "He did drink about six glasses of sake."

"I'm fine," Crane said and then giggled. "There's a cash on the floor."

Monkey grabbed Crane around the stomach and leaped in to the air narrowly avoiding a flying chair. Mantis who was perched on his shoulder held on for dear life as Monkey made a mad dash for the door. He was almost there when the rhino lunged in front of them.

"I'm going to kill that bird friend of yours," He growled snorting angrily out of his nostrils.

"Oh, hello Mei Ling," Crane laughed. "You're looking fat today." Mantis jumped from Monkey's shoulder on to Crane's beak wrapping his pincers and legs around it to keep him from talking.

"Can't we just," Monkey started before staring over the rhino's shoulder. Paranoid the rhino looked over his shoulder and Monkey slid forward, pulled down the rhino's pants, and then stood up behind him just in time to kick him in the rump to the middle of the floor. Embarrassed the rhino tried to pull his pants back up as all the fighting stopped and everyone turned to laugh and point at him.

Monkey grabbed Crane and leaped out the door and in to a tree. He didn't stop leaping from tree to tree until they were far from the bar. He put Crane down on the ground.

"What were you thinking?" Monkey asked angrily. "We're ambassadors from the palace. The Furious Five. And you have to start a bar fight?"

"I didn't do anything except," Crane lurched on his feet and Monkey steadied him against a tree as Crane burped. "Except... Kiss Mei Ling."

"You kissed a rhino," Mantis said.

"On the lips," Monkey added.

"And it wasn't even a woman!" They both exclaimed.

"I did... waa?" Crane lurched forward his eyes half closed, but as he looked up at the sky he saw three Mei Ling's one of whom was holding his hat.

"Crane?" Monkey asked.

"Tell Mei Ling to give me back my hat," Crane said.

"Your... Oh, no. He left it at the bar." Mantis groaned.

"We'll get it some other time," Monkey said. "Right now we have to get back to the palace. It's going to be morning soon. Crane?"

Crane looked down at Monkey.

"I like you," Crane said with a laugh.

"Of course you do, but can you walk?" Monkey asked.

"I can fly. I'll fly all of us home just as soon as I get my hat back from Mei Ling up there." Crane looked back up at the tree but the Mei Lings were gone along with his hat.

"No," Monkey said slowly. "We're all going to walk. It's safer."

"Flying is safe." Crane said and flew up in to the air straight in to a tree branch. "Maybe not." He said as he fell on to the ground. Monkey grabbed Crane again and Mantis jumped on Monkey's shoulder as they took to the trees again. Mantis and Monkey knew that they had about half an hour before day break.

Monkey ran up to the stairs carrying his friends. He saw the sun cresting the horizon behind the palace just as he heard the gong. He put on the speed and ran faster trying to make it to the stairs. He knew he had no hope of getting up the thousand stairs before the second gong, but he was going to try. Just then something dropped in to his path and it made him froze.

"HEY!" Mantis screamed at him and Monkey felt Mantis sinking his pincers in to his neck and shoulder, but he didn't respond. "What the hel..." Mantis started to say, but then also froze.

"Hey, Massa Shifu!" Crane yelled at Shifu who was standing at the foot of the steps. "You make a cute Mai Ling!"

"What is wrong with him?!" Shifu demanded of Mantis and Monkey.

"He had a little too much Sake," Monkey admitted looking down at his feet.

"How much is _too much_?" Shifu inquired looking critically at his students.

"Three bottles," Mantis said.

"THREE?!" Shifu shouted in surprise he walked to Crane whom Monkey had put down on the ground. Crane stood wobbling back and forth trying to focus on Shifu.

"Tree!" Crane agreed still wobbling back and forth. "And then Mai Lings came in and took my hat. They were up a tree. Threeeees of them!"

"Three Mei Lings were up a tree?" Shifu asked walking closer to Crane he put his paw up and showed him 3 fingers.

"And you are a cute Mai Ling. I could just kiss you," Crane said to Shifu. Shifu balled his fingers in to a fist and struck out with the speed of a cobra catching Crane in his abdomen.

"Hey! That hurt," Crane gasped in shock.

"Just wait," Shifu said taking a few steps back. Monkey and Mantis came closer to help hold Crane up before he fell over. Just then Crane turned and vomited on Monkey. Monkey squealed and jumped back away, but not before the second barrage hit him and Mantis. Mantis was knocked off his shoulder by the force of the blast.

"Ugh! Oh, this is perfect!" Mantis growled and groaned as he pried himself up off the ground.

"Monkey! Mantis! Take _Master Crane _to his bedroom, and then go to the baths and clean yourselves." Shifu ordered them as he walked past them towards the Valley of Peace.

"Master?" Monkey said questioningly.

"Practice is canceled," Shifu told them. "Think about what you have done while you are washing away your sins."

"Com'on, Crane," Monkey growled as he started practically dragging his friend up the stairs.

"I feel terrible," Crane said before unleashing another torrent on to Monkey's back.

"HEY!" Monkey yelled and threw Crane as hard as he could towards the palace with Mantis screaming as he clung to Crane's wing for dear life.

_**I must apologize for taking such a long time in updating my story. To tell the truth I actually forgot that I posted it here. I will be updating occasionally. Hopefully it will not take another couple years for my updates. I have written quite a bit, but am a little concerned about posting it. Mostly because of the reception it may receive, and the other reason is that I never can tell if people actually read what I write. I have seen other chapters of only 100 to 500 words get more reviews so I need to wonder if I should dumb down my chapters a bit and not give people a TLDR scenario.**_

_**Nah, I'm going to keep writing long chapters. I can only hope that there are those who enjoy reading out there. :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

-4-

Shifu had dismissed Tigress as soon as she had greeted him this morning.

"There will be no training today," He had told her. She looked at him questioningly but didn't push the issue. Since she had been the only one to show up for the morning gong she assumed something had gone awry. Po, however having always been late to practice wasn't there when Shifu had told Tigress there was no training, and was happily standing at attention in the yard waiting for his master.

He shuffled nervously as he waited. It seemed odd that everyone else would be late to the morning gong, but he puffed out his chest trying to look important. Shifu slowly walked through the yard mumbling to himself. Po stood up straighter and watched until Shifu was walking past him and then roared out.

"GOOD MORNING, MASTER!"

"Po..." Shifu groaned. "What is it?"

"It's morning! And I'm the first one to practice!" Po chuckled. "So, did everyone else sleep in today? Should I go wake them up?"

"Practice has been canceled, Po." Shifu said. "You aren't the first one to the yard... You're the last one... Again."

Po lowered his head sadly.

"I'm sorry, master," Po sighed and sat down on the ground. "I don't know why after all these years I still can't get the hang of this."

"It's alright, Po." Shifu said as he patted him on his shoulder as he walked past. "It's alright. Why don't you go down to the valley and visit your father?"

"That's a great idea! Thank you, Master!" Po exclaimed jumping off his butt and running out of the yard towards the steps.

Shifu sighed again as he walked towards his compound.

In the valley Mister Ping's noodle shop was full of people. Po had to carefully pick his way through the throng to get to the counter.

"Wow, Dad!" Po said at the counter as he turned around to look out at all the customers and lean against the counter. "Your shop is really exploding today."

"Get your grubby elbows off the counter," A woman's voice snapped at him as he felt himself being pushed away from the counter. "And don't call me Dad!"

"Wha... Who... Uhhhh-ohhhh..." Po stammered as he turned around and saw another Panda wiping off the counter where he had been leaning.

"PO!" A voice called to him and he turned to see a duck flapping and running through the crowd.

"Dad!" Po shouted as he rushed up to meet his father.

"That's your father?" The female Panda asked.

"Yeah, it is," Po said quickly before turning back to Mister Ping. "Dad... You didn't lose the shop in a gamble did you?"

"Oh, no no no..." Mister Ping laughed as he went behind the counter.

"Well, then who is this? Is it a sister of mine?" Po asked looking at the female panda. Mister Ping laughed at Po's question.

"God, no!" The female Panda exclaimed as Mister Ping laughed again.

"Po, I would like you to meet Li-Tang," Mister Ping smiled at her. "And Li-Tang might I introduce my son Po. The Dragon Warrior!"

"He's the Dragon Warrior?!" Li-Tang asked staring at Po in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know I might not look it, but I'm really an awesome butt kicking machine!" Po said as suavely as he could before doing some of his "awesome" kung fu moves.

"Uh-huh." Li-Tang grunted before going back to the dishes she had been cleaning.

"So, where do you live?" Po asked her, but before she could answer him Mister Ping cut in.

"She lives in your old room!" Ping was laughing like a lunatic. "I have your stuff in a crate under the counter if you came to pick it up."

A line of customers came up to the counter and started ordering before Po could say anything. Mister Ping and Li-Tang began serving them quickly.

"Actually, I came to see you, Dad, but it looks like no one needs me here either," Po sighed as he turned and left the noodle shop.

Po walked down the road and in to a bamboo grove. He sat down in the middle and started eating.

"No one needs a big, fat, stupid, panda!" He growled as he stuffed bamboo in to his face.

"Oh, I know someone who needs a fat panda," A female voice said from behind them.

"Oh, yes, don't we need a fat, stupid, panda?" Another female voice asked.

"Hee-hee!" Yet another giggled. The voices were coming from all around the grove. Po stood up nervously and began to slowly back out of the grove.

"Oh, no you don't," The other female voice sang out in his ear as he felt an arm snake around his neck.

"Who are you?" He choked out before stepping quickly backwards and throwing the women off in front of him. She was caught by two other females who seemed to materialize out of the grove. The three of them started advancing slowly on him.

"What do you need me for?" Po asked nervously stepping backwards.

"Sacrifice?" One of them asked.

"Yes, to appease the lion," the other giggled.

"Kataki?" Po asked, but the moment he did lights went on in his head and he felt himself slipping in to darkness.

"Don't ever say that name again... You aren't even fit to whisper it," One of the females said as he felt a sharp pain in his temple that shot him in to nothingness.

Tigress crept through the weeds covering the opening of the cave that Kataki had made his home. She sniffed and listened her entire body quaking with fear and something else that she didn't understand, but she knew she had to talk this madman out of killing Po. She was sure she could do this better alone then with the others. She could be charming when she wanted to be.

Her thoughts were broken as she felt a paw close around her throat and her body being yanked against another.

"What are you doing here again?" Kataki growled in her ear. "Didn't you understand when I told you not to return here?"

"Yes," Tigress choked out before pulling his hand away and jumping back. Just as she jumped back Kataki caught her again and pulled her against him with one arm. She pushed away from him but gave up after a feeble struggle.

"You can't kill Po," Tigress said looking up at him. His yellow eyes glared down at her.

"And give me a reason I shouldn't?" He said slowly.

"Because everyone in the valley would lose faith! They'd lose heart. The Jade Palace would become a laughing stock, and no one would believe in Kung Fu!"

"So, you don't want me to kill him because it would make you and your _Master _look bad?"

Tigress swallowed hard. That isn't what she had meant, but it is what she thought.

"And why would I care about you or your master?!" Kataki roared his voice echoing off of the walls and sending a chilling fear down Tigress' spine.

"You don't have a reason, but all of China would stop believing in Kung Fu!" Tigress exclaimed.

Kataki sighed and released Tigress.

"I doubt that is true. Why would one fat panda make any difference?" Kataki stared at her waiting, but Tigress didn't have an answer for him.

"Was Kung Fu ruined when Tai Lung went on a rampage through the valley killing everyone in sight? Was Kung Fu ruined when he was locked away? Was it ruined when Oogway died? I doubt that your fat man would make much difference then to become a legend. A self proclaimed god of Kung Fu defeated by no more than a traveling nomad," Kataki growled lightly letting the growl become a roar of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Tigress asked quietly.

"Nothing," Kataki snapped at her as he immediately stopped laughing.

Tigress looked sideways at him, but didn't question him further. Kataki's evil grin returned to his muzzle in an instant however as he turned his attention back towards Tigress.

"But you," He whispered as he leaned in against Tigress pushing her against a wall of the cave and pinning her there with his body. "I told you never to return... Yet, here you are."

"I came to stop you," Tigress whispered back her body alive with fear and excitement.

"Did you?" Kataki whispered against her ear before inhaling deeply of her scent. "Or did you come for another reason... Perhaps to see me?"

"No," Tigress whispered huskily.

"Really, dear... Are you trying to convince me or yourself..."

"KATAKI!" Three voices screamed from inside of the tunnel.

"Oh, god no..." Kataki moaned as he backed off of Tigress letting her lean against the wall panting hard.

"Who..." Tigress started.

"KATAKI!" A different voice shouted again.

"We got him!" Another voice shouted.

"We got the stupid panda!" Yet another shouted.

Tigress heart sank to her feet. Kung Fu was doomed. Had three girls actually defeated Po?

"What?!" Kataki roared just as three happy snow leopard girls bounded in to the large hall dragging a sack behind them.

"Who is that?!" They all asked pointing to Tigress.

"Who are they?" Tigress asked pointing at the three girls.

"God..." Kataki mumbled pinching between his eyes.

"Ugh..." Came a moan from inside the sack.

Kataki's eyes widened in shock.

"You didn't... Please tell me you didn't!" The three snow leopardess looked at each other sheepishly. Kataki lunged at them yanking the sack out of their paws. Swiftly opening it and looking inside before closing it again a look of disgust and horror on his face.

"You aren't happy?" One of the girls asked him.

"No, I'm not, Sai," Kataki growled at her. "I was giving him a year to train. To face me in a fair fight. Not to be brought in like a caged bear."

"Men," Another of the snow leopardess growled. "They're never happy."

"What's in the bag?" Tigress asked but already knowing the answer.

"Who is she?!" The three asked in unison pointing at Tigress.

Kataki sighed heavily, and turned to Tigress. "Tigress, these are the Wu sisters. Fu-Mai, Reika, Sai-Yu. Girls, this is _Master_ Tigress of the furious five." Kataki sounded as if he were gagging on the word master while introducing Tigress to the three other women. The four women nodded at each other slightly doing little more than acknowledge that each of them existed.

"And what is in the bag?" Tigress asked again edging closer.

"Garbage," Kataki growled lightly. "Garbage I want taken out of here and back to the palace where it belongs. Since I can't go myself... Would you take it with you?"

Tigress gulped slightly and nodded. Opening the sack Po, rolled out and sat up.

"Tigress?" He asked in a daze. "Where did those ladies go? I was just getting ready to beat them with some of my totally awesome moves."

At that Po looked over to see the Wu sisters giggling and waving at him.

"Really?" Tigress said as she helped him to his feet. Po looked down at his feet and then back up at Tigress and past her to Kataki who was smiling evilly at him.

"You have one year, Panda," Kataki spat out. "You better have some _totally awesome_ moves by then."

Laughter followed both Tigress and Po out of the cave as they walked back to the palace. Po kept looking down at his feet dejectedly as they walked. Just then they heard women's screams and looked back at the cave and saw all three Wu sisters flying out of the opening. They landed on their feet, turned to look at Tigress and Po, waved, and jumped in to the trees disappearing almost instantly. Tigress smiled as she turned and walked back with Po in silence to the palace. She was going to learn more about this Kataki and wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Back at the palace Po went in to his room and shut the door. Silently, wishing he would have never come to the palace or became the Dragon Warrior. He wasn't cut out for it and he knew it. He flopped back on his Tatami mat and sighed heavily. Even his dad seemed to have forgotten about him. In fact he had went out and gotten himself another panda. Po sighed heavily thinking of Li-Tang. She was a very sexy panda, though. He could tell how muscular she was just by looking. He hadn't seen another panda in his life save for his own reflection in mirrors and in water. But he knew he was nothing to look at. Fat, slow, and stupid. He only knew how to screw up and cook. Who would really want him around. Po was so engrossed in his private pity party that he didn't notice his door open and close. Someone had come in, but he hadn't even noticed until he felt something coiling up around his neck. Thinking it was the Wu sisters again Po reached up and grabbed what he thought was rope and pulled forcefully.

"WHOA!" screeched Viper who was now firmly in Po's grasp.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Po shouted. "Viper... I'm so sorry. Are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I... You know because the Dragon Warrior has a totally awesome grip."

Viper giggled putting the tip of her tail against her lips as she did.

"Oh, who am I kidding," Po groaned again. "I'm not totally awesome... I'm a total loss."

"Po?" Viper asked snaking up his arm to coil around his neck again so she could look him in the face. "Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Po sat back down heavily. "No... I got attacked today..."  
"Oh?!" Viper asked in shock. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Po sighed. "Just a little bruised. But I was beaten by three women."

"Women?!" Viper gasped.

"Three snow leopardess. They knocked me out and brought me to the lion. I think they wanted him to kill me there." Po said.

"Snow leopardess?" Viper said. "I was attacked by three of the same."

"You?" Po asked.

"They beat me pretty quickly," Viper admitted turning her head in shame. "I couldn't compete with them even with all my training."

"You? Viper? You're totally awesome! But they beat you? They probably played dirty like they did to me," Po said. "You're Master Viper, you're lightening fast and totally..."

Viper cut off his 'awesome' by putting her tail tip against his lips. Po looked past her tail in to her eyes as Viper moved her tail slowly and moved her head in to press her lips against his. Po's eyes widened in astonishment. Before he felt Viper's tail pushing his lids down, and then his head being pressed closer to hers. Their lips mashed together as Viper tilted her head and snaked her thin tongue in to his mouth. Po stood up quickly breaking the kiss, but also managing to startle Viper and get himself choked. He gasped for air and reached up and knocked his bookcase over. Viper leaped off of him and on to the floor before having to leap again as Po came crashing to the ground.

"Viper!" Po exclaimed. "What..."

"I kissed you," Viper giggled. "Haven't you ever had a kiss before?"

"Me? The Dragon Warrior?! I've been kissed tons of times!" Po said sitting up proudly and smiling at her.

"Really?"

"Um... Just never like that," Po finally admitted after a minute of smiling and looking proud.

"I was your first kiss?" Viper asked looking up at Po startled for a moment, and then her eyes softened and took on a very seductive look.

"Yes," Po admitted nervously before Viper snaked back up on his neck and began kissing him again softly.

"What's wrong with him?!" Tigress exclaimed as she burst in to Po's room and saw Viper coiled near the door and Po sitting huddled in a corner clutching his knees and weeping.

"I don't know," Viper said. "I..." The hall began filling up outside Po's door as the others began assembling to see what the commotion was. Po was now laying sideways on the floor in a ball screeching and clutching himself.

"Something had to have happened," Mei-Ling said as she looked at Po.

"I just... I..." Viper stammered flustered. She had been kissing Po and he had seemed like he was enjoying it. Her tail had slithered down between his legs and she had been flicking it to stroke him and it had ended like that. With Po pulling her off and throwing her away from himself.

"I..." Viper snaked up Tigress and whispered in her ear. Tigress flushed in embarrassment, then turned to Mai-Ling and whispered to her. Mai-Ling giggled and blushed. Crane, Monkey, and Mantis all looked at the three women in confusion, before Shifu pushed his way past them and in to Po's room.

"Po!" He shouted. "What happened?!"

"She..." Po sobbed. "She..."

"Who?!" Shifu roared rounding on his students. "Tigress did you strike him again?!"

"No, Master," Tigress said quickly. "I just got here when I heard him screaming."

Shifu walked to Po, and knelt down beside the balled up panda.  
"Who?" Shifu asked. Po grabbed one of Shifu's large ears and began whispering in to it, but in his flustered state he wasn't as quiet as he thought.

"Master Viper kissed me and then... Then..." Po sobbed again. "She touched my yīnjīng!"

Monkey and Mantis laughed loudly and fell out of the doorway.

"I wouldn't mind her touching my yīnjīng!" Monkey laughed loudly as Mantis jumped on top of his head.

"I wouldn't mind touching her yīn dào!" Mantis laughed as he clapped his pincers excitedly. The duo turned to see Crane looking at them with a hateful glare. They immediately bowed their heads and fell silent. Viper on the other hand was blushing deeply and hiding her eyes with her tail as she was coiled around the neck of Tigress. Why hadn't she thought Po was still a virgin. Why had she even done that? She ventured a look at Crane who wasn't looking at anyone. He seemed to be looking off in to the distance a dark and hateful look on his face. Viper just wanted to disappear, but she couldn't leave without someone noticing. Tigress sensed her friend wanted to leave and turned quickly but silently and padded away from the commotion.

The three women were sitting in the hot spring not saying anything, but after the stern talk that Shifu had given everyone in the palace nothing more needed to be said. Viper had sunk in to the water so that only her eyes and nostrils were above the surface.

"I know that all of you are adults," Shifu had said walking back in forth in front of his students in the yard. "And I know that most of you can conduct yourselves in a manner befitting adults and Kung Fu masters."

"Yes, Master," Everyone had replied. Po was still in his room so this talk was only for them. They were sure Shifu would have his own talk with Po after the panda had calmed down.

"But Po isn't a regular adult," Shifu continued. "He isn't as worldly as the rest of you."

"You mean biǎo zi!" Crane spat out. Viper, Mei-Ling, and Tigress all gasped in shock.

"Master Crane!" Shifu shouted. "None of that! I'm not blaming anyone. But Po is more of a child than anything else. He isn't like the rest of you. He didn't understand when he got a... Um..."

"Erection?" Crane offered.

"Boner," Monkey laughed.

"Wood?" Mantis interjected.

Shifu cleared his throat. "Yes, he thought it was going to fall off."

Monkey and Mantis whistled and looked over at Viper who was blushing again and looking ashamed. Monkey and Mantis both looked at one another and smiled each knew what the other was thinking and they both started snickering before Master Shifu hit them over the heads with Oogway's walking stick.

"Pay attention!" Shifu shouted. "Now, no one is in any trouble, but Po has to be handled with care and even if he looks big and cuddly he doesn't understand... Well... You know..."

"Yes, Master," His students agreed in unison.

"So, until I can talk to him. Please no one mention this, and..." Shifu looked at the women assembled and cleared his throat. "No one is to _touch _him again except in sparring."

Tigress laughed. Mei-Ling blushed. And Viper nodded but still hid her eyes.

After Shifu dismissed them the women had walked off to the hot spring. They needed to relax, and even though Viper was the most embarrassed by the incident all of them felt the same.

"Who died?" Asked a female voice from behind them. The women turned to see Li-Tang walking up to the hot spring completely naked her towel draped over her shoulder. The women quickly looked away.

"No one died," Tigress said. Mei-Ling giggled and looked over at the panda as she eased herself in to the water. She stared a moment too long and Li-Tang had noticed she was being stared at.

"Like what you see?" Li-Tang asked her. Mei-Ling blushed brightly.

"I just didn't know panda's could be so fit," She admitted.

"Well, most panda's aren't hugely fat," Li-Tang laughed. "Or are you referring to the _totally awesome_ dragon warrior?"

Mei-Ling nodded. Tigress looked over now and stared. She couldn't believe that this panda was the complete opposite of Po. She seemed more worldly and knowledgeable not to mention toned.

"Well, I don't know," Li-Tang said. "I'm the only other panda I've seen in a long time. So, I don't know if we're supposed to be doughy or not."

"Well, Po is, and..." Mei-Ling laughed. "Lacking in the knowledge of the world."

"I just met him today at the noodle shop," Li-Tang laughed. "He was going on about being awesome and thought I was his sister, because I was working for his dad."

"You aren't related," Tigress asked.

"God, no!" Li-Tang laughed.

"What brings you to the valley?" Viper asked. Everyone turned to her because it was the first time she'd spoken since she told Tigress what happened.

"I needed work, and there wasn't any in my village," Li-Tang told them. "So, I moved on to find myself here."

The four women sat enjoying the hot water soaking away their stress. Occasionally, talking about the village or some random gossip, but carefully avoiding the subject of Po. Tigress was the first to leave. She carefully pulled her towel around her as she got out so that no one saw her naked body. She knew all too well that Monkey and Mantis were usually lurking about hoping to catch a peek of any woman naked. Mei-Ling did the same after awhile leaving Viper and Li-Tang sitting together in the water. Viper floated silently for a while before turning to Li-Tang.

"Can I ask you something?" Viper asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Li-Tang asked.

"How would you apologize to someone if you did something stupid?" Viper asked.

"What do you mean?" Li-Tang asked and Viper recounted the tale of her kissing Po. Li-Tang slipped under the water in shock and laughter at the end.

Viper blushed again, but Li-Tang was apologizing to her.

"I'm sorry. I just never heard a story like that, and I thought I heard just about everything," Li-Tang admitted. "I mean I knew the panda was kinda dull on wits, but I didn't think he was stupid to boot."

"But how would you apologize for something like that?" Viper asked her.

"I really wouldn't know," Li-Tang admitted. "I'm limited in that also."

"You're a..."

"Yes, I am," Li-Tang cut her off.

"But you're... Gorgeous. You've never had a boyfriend, or anything?" Viper asked her.

"I've had offers, but I'm holding out for a guy, who's... Well, smart, funny, strong, and he's got to be handsome." Li-Tang laughed. "I just haven't found anyone like that yet."

"I thought I had a guy like that," Viper sighed.

"Really? It wasn't the panda was it?"

"Oh, no... He was tall, handsome, smart, funny... But... I kept catching him flirting, and kissing another woman," Viper hissed.

"Better off without him," Li-Tang said. "Who needs that kind of aggravation?"

"Well, I think he'll be happier now he can be with her," Viper admitted and sighed again.

Crane growled to himself quietly from his perch above the hot spring. Preening his feathers violently as he listened to the women talking. But hearing Viper talk about him and thinking that he wanted Mei-Ling more than her made him pull his feathers out even more violently then before. He hadn't wanted Mei-Ling at all, but as he thought about it he knew it hadn't looked good. He flew off before he heard Viper telling Li-Tang that she still loved him, but didn't think she could trust him around women even if she did take him back.

Swooping in to his window he landed near his large nest. He was just about to get in when he noticed there was a ball under his blanket. He lifted the blanket cautiously just as Mei-Ling pounced out from under it latching on to him.

"Crane!" She purred as she pulled him back in to the nest with her. He noticed as he was being pulled in her towel dis-guarded in the corner of the room. He turned and was greeted with the sight of Mei-Ling's ample breasts being thrust at his face and he only had time to lower his beak before finding his head sandwiched between them.

"Mei, what are you doing here?" Crane asked.

"Apologizing for before," she whispered as a purr rumbled out of her chest.

"When I called you a harlot?" Crane asked as he felt his head vibrating from the force of her purr as she leaned her head forward and licked the red feathers on the top of his head.

"I over-reacted throwing you through a wall like that," Mei-Ling said. "And if you want me to leave now... I will."

Crane quirked his eyes upward to look at her and then smiled.

"No," He said. "Stay." Mei-Ling purred again and licked his head vigorously.

**I do hope that others will read this. If you are looking for quick sex between**  
**Tigress and Po, then this story is not for you. Romance (good romance) takes a**  
**while to build. I, am currently writing on chapter 15 and everyone here is**  
**only on chapter 4. This is because I take time to tweak my chapters, and make**  
**everything perfect. Putting two characters together from the start would be**  
**bad writing. Because you don't know why they are together. There is a word for**  
**this and it is called Fan Service. My story is not a "fan service" story. **

**I have never said it is a PoXTigress story, and I have never said it is a**  
**CraneXViper story. Those are just a few of the characters that are in the**  
**story. only lets you put in 4 characters that are the focus of your story.**  
**In my story the whole furious five, Shifu, Mr. Ping, Mei-Ling, the Wu Sisters,**  
**and Po are all the focus of the story. But certain chapters are dedicated to**  
**certain characters. Some chapters may not have Po in them at all. This is**  
**because I have to follow other characters in order to build the story. **

**Romance will come and it will be a surprise. But I'm not going to classify my**  
**story as one or the other. Every reader will simply have to wait and see what**  
**happens.**

**Thank you to everyone who is following along I will be sure to post more**  
**chapters a bit more frequently. I'd like to finish the story before the 3rd**  
**movie comes out. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Walking in the moonlight Tigress growled as she made the now familiar trek to Kataki's cave. She was going to get a moment to talk to him without him trying to force himself on her or without interruptions. She was hauling a basket of what she hoped were enough peace offerings to make it worth his while. She crept closer to the cave and heard voices. Growling inwardly she crept closer. She was sure those Wu sisters had returned and right now they were throwing themselves on him. But as she entered the entrance of the cave she could hear two distinctly male voices talking. One of them had a very thick accent she couldn't place.

"Why you not just kill this panda man and come back to Africa," The one voice asked. "Africa not as cold as dis place."

"Because if I just kill him what good am I? I want to know that I can beat him fairly." Kataki's voice growled. "I want to give him enough time to train. To get ready for the fight, and so I don't underestimate him... Again..."

'Again?' Tigress mussed. Had this lion fought Po before? Po hadn't even known what a lion was before Kataki had arrived. Tigress smiled. It might have been a childhood rival. A lion doesn't get a mane until it's an adult. Tigress nodded with a grin. That had to have been what it was. She stood listening to the conversation waiting for a good opening to enter.

"Setsuna," The male voice said. "None o' dis is gonna do any good. I don't want to patch you up again. Your fadder put me in charge of you. To make sure you grew up and was a good man."

"And you see what that got me!" Kataki growled. "Maybe if my father had been there none of that would have happened."

"You juz like 'im. Both hot heads. It would have been same way if he been dere or no," the other male said and then chortled.

"Ugh! Get off me," Kataki growled. Tigress took a step forward but then stopped. "You and those balls!" Tigress blanched at the thoughts in her mind. Balls? Get off?

"You and you fadder both same. Neither you appreciate my nuts," The male screech/laughed.

"Maybe it's because we aren't gay," Kataki growled.

"Gay? I'm no gay," The voice said. "I have had 400 wives!"

"Here we go again," Kataki groaned. "That damn number gets bigger every time you talk about your wives."

"Well, I don't count their heads every day, but 600 wives is right," The voice said.

"Shakka, just stop," Kataki laughed. "I might go back to Africa after I defeat Po."

"Good... Good..." The voice stopped for a moment, and then whispered. "How long you gonna keep da lady waiting at the entrance?"

"What..." There was scuffling and Kataki appeared in front of Tigress. "Oh, you..."

"Peace," Tigress said shoving the package she'd been carrying in to his arms.

"What... What's this?" Kataki asked.

"Peace offering," Tigress said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her down the tunnel in to his den that was illuminated with a fire in the center of the room.

"What's in it?" Kataki asked opening it. "Is it the sword of heroes?"

"No," Tigress said. "Blankets, Tatami mats, towels, some food."

"I got all the supplies I need," Kataki told her. Tigress looked down sadly, but Kataki looked up at her and saw the disappointment. "But... Thank you."

Tigress looked over at him and smiled.

"And I guess I'll be needing these now," Kataki said.

"Really?" Tigress smiled. "Why?"

"Because I only have enough provisions for me," Kataki said. "And now that you're my prisoner."

"PRISONER?!" Tigress yelled.

"Yes, I told you to stop coming back here, and you keep coming back. So, for the remainder of the year you'll be my prisoner."

"I... I..." Tigress stammered.

"I'll sleep over there, and you'll sleep over here, but I will be keeping a close eye on you." Kataki growled. "And if you try to escape I'll just come get you. I know where the Jade Palace is and how to sneak in. So, don't think you'll be safe there."

"I just wanted to try to make peace," Tigress said.

"And you and I do have peace. But for me and the stupid, fat, panda... There will never be peace." Kataki roared the last sentence before adding. "So, get comfortable, _Master._"

Kataki shoved a mat at her before going over to his own sleeping area and laying down. Tigress unrolled the mat and sat down on it staring forlornly at the fire. What had she gotten herself in to. She had only come hoping for... She shook her head. She didn't really understand why she kept coming back to Kataki's cave. She just did. There was something about the man that was irritating but attractive at the same time. She had only wanted to save Po. Why should he have to fight someone that he didn't know? Why should he risk his life so futilely. She looked around the cave. Was he insane. Had he been talking to himself in different voices the whole time? She peered in to the darkness away from the fire. Hoping that Kataki wasn't insane and that someone else had been here with him. Was there an exit somewhere else. She sniffed the air, but there was no other scent except for his and hers and the faint scent of the three women and Po.

There was a crash of thunder outside the cave that echoed down the tunnel and reverberated off of the cavern they were in. Kataki rolled over and mumbled something about a crazy monkey before snorting. Tigress shuddered as the fire slowly started to dwindle. She noticed rain coming in from a hole in the roof. She had wondered how he kept the fire without the cave filling up with smoke. But now the rain was coming in and putting out the fire. She got up quietly watching Kataki the entire time, but just as she was about to run back out up the tunnel she heard a commotion from outside and then footsteps running inside. She backed up in to the darkest corner to watch.

Just then the three Wu sisters ran in and all jumped on Kataki. There was some rustling as Tigress could see dim outlines from the waning firelight. He saw them trying to pull him out of his clothes. Tigress groaned inwardly. She didn't want to see this. Kataki growled in his sleep.

"Hi dere," A voice said from beside her. Tigress jumped and had to suck back a screech as a hideous face loomed close to her own. "Would you like to see me balls?"

Tigress shoved the tusked brightly colored face away and ran up the tunnel out in to the night. The rain was coming down harder now and torrents of mud were coating the mountain making climbing and running nearly impossible. She lunged up the slippery slope just as she seen lightening streak across the sky and then thunder rolled out heavy and loud. She pulled herself to her feet, but didn't know which way to go to get back to the valley. She couldn't see far in front of her face as the torrential rain poured down on her. She heard a voice screaming for her from behind so she ran forward as fast as she could. It was then another streak of lightening ripped across the sky with a sound much like someone ripping sheet metal in two. She heard the loud crack before she seen what had made it and by that time it was too late. A large tree came crashing down on her. It struck her across the back and rolled on to her shoulders pushing her face and muzzle down in to the mud. She tried to pull her head out but the tree on her shoulders only made it possible to slightly twist her head. She attempted to push it off using her powerful back muscles only to realize that the tree itself was even heavier than Po. The water was rising and would be over her head soon even if she kept it tilted sideways. The pain in her head and chest was becoming blinding as the weight of the tree bore down on her. 'Po,' she thought to herself, but she knew no one from the Jade Palace was near.

"Kataki!" She screamed in desperation before succumbing to the darkness and passing out.

Kataki's sharp ears flicked as he heard Tigress' scream his name. He ran in the direction he heard the scream come. He found her with her muzzle buried in the mud with a tree across her shoulders. He attempted to push it off, but couldn't. He slipped in the mud and desperately looked around. He couldn't let her die. If he did than he would be accused of murder. He watched Tigress sputter in the mud, air bubbles rising from the muck around her muzzle. With a scream Kataki raised his fist high above his head and brought his paw down hard across the wood. It split in two right above Tigress. Kataki reached down grabbing her by the back of her shirt hauling her up in to his arms before running with her back in the direction he had come.

Viper stared out at the rain from Li-Tang's room which had been Po's room at one time. She had been laughing at the story Li-Tang had told her about when she had first gotten the room. There had been action figures of Tigress all over and paintings of all of the furious five. Not to mention all of the ninja stars stuck in the walls, or under the bed. Viper and Li-Tang had been in the hot spring when the rain had started and Mr. Ping's shop was closer then the Jade Palace.

"I hope it's okay for you to stay here until the rain stops," Li-Tang said.

"It will be," Viper said turning to smile at her new friend.

"Won't your master be upset?"

"Shifu? Oh, no, he'll be fine. I don't think he wants to see me anyways after what happened the other day," Viper mused looking out at the rain again.

"Okay," Li-Tang said as she put a mat on the floor. Viper started to get off of the bed, but Li-Tang gestured her back. "You take the bed. I'm fine on the floor. Besides... You're my guest."

"Oh..." Viper said taken aback. "Thank you."

Li-Tang waved off her comment with a smile as she pulled a blanket around herself and blew out the candle.

Crane and Mei-Ling laid coiled together in Crane's nest. Crane's hat was laying on the floor along with all their clothes. Mei-Ling was batting at a feather as she kept it floating in the air. Crane looked down at her and smiled to himself before wiping some sweat off of his brow and pulling the blanket up around them as he kissed her in his own way by running his beak through her fur. Mei-Ling purred deeply before turning and lunging on top of him. Crane laughed and she giggled before leaning down to lick the feathers of his neck and head.

Kataki was growling in his cave and muttering to himself about how women never listen. Tigress could hear him slightly through her waterlogged ears. He had bundled her in blankets and the fire was roaring brightly now heating the cave and casting light in to all of the once dark corners. She looked around for the creepy monkey she had seen before she had run out of the cave, but didn't see him. Kataki looked her way and she closed her eyes tightly, but then opened them again. She couldn't believe her eyes. She coughed loudly and spit up dirty water and mud. Kataki jumped over the fire and was beside her immediately pounding his paw between her shoulder blades.

"Cough it up," he whispered. "Don't worry I'll clean it up if you throw up."

"Kata..." Tigress turned to look at him and she gasped and then coughed up more mud. She looked up at him. His face was streaked with mud and water was bunched up in places. She stared at him.

"That's right... That's right..." Kataki said again pounding her on the back.

After a few minutes Tigress regained some of her composure and stared up at him from where she was laying bundled in the blankets.

"Tai... Lung?" Tigress said in an asking tone.

"Yes?" Kataki said pulling on his ears and slicking rain water off his head.

"Kataki?" Tigress said again in the same asking tone.

"What is it?" Kataki asked again wondering if she was still so out of it she didn't hear him the first time. Then slowly it dawned on him who she had called him at first. He rushed to a barrel in the room and looked down in to it. The drinking water in it reflected back his reflection. His true reflection and he saw Tai Lung staring back at him.

"You're Tai Lung..." Tigress said propping herself up on her elbow and looking at him as she coughed loudly. "I thought you were dead!"

"Shhh... Shhhh..." Tai Lung said coming slowly over to Tigress. "I think you're dreaming. You did get hit pretty hard." He pushed her back on to her back and bundled the blankets around her again, and then lay down next to her nuzzling his nose against her neck.

"We'll talk more tomorrow," He whispered to her. "Sleep now." But Tigress hadn't heard him she had fallen asleep as soon as he laid her back against the Tatami mat.

(**_Now, in this chapter everyone is going to be confused at what type of story this is. I don't label my romance stories. It is not a full Tai Lung story and it is not a full Po story either. I have many triangles going at the moment and since I am not even done writing the story myself. (And I am writing Chapter 15 now and the only romance there has been is Crane and Mei Ling and some OC character relationships, but nothing with the main Furious Five._**

**_So, please no moaning and groaning because I do not know where these characters are taking me in this literary journey! For Po fans there is a lot of growing that he needs to do before he can get a/the girl, and he does have a year to do it. For fans of Tai Lung... He is not dead in my story (actually, the only confirmed death in the series is Master Thundering Rhino who Shifu actually said "dead".) everywhere else they say defeated. I'm not remembering what they said of Lord Shen I believe they also said defeated, and not killed. _**

**_But I am not here to debate only to write and have fun. Remember... It's fan-fiction and anything can happen. *winks and goes back to writing.*_**  
))


	6. Chapter 6

-6-

Li-Tang awoke the next morning to the feeling of her windpipe being violently squeezed. Her eyes flew open as she reached up and grabbed the offending object which turned out to be Viper. Li-Tang found the back of Viper's head and squeezed with both paws. The snake released her immediately.

"Oh, my god," Viper exclaimed. "Are you okay. Oh, my god... I am so sorry."

"It's okay," Li-Tang choked waving off Viper's apology. "Are you okay? I squeezed you pretty good."

"Me?" Viper was a bit shocked that this woman could even stand after such an attack let alone be concerned about her attacker. "I'm fine... I've been training all my life so a little squeeze wouldn't affect me much."

Li-Tang laughed as she tied an apron around her waist.  
"Well, I've always worked with rough customers so that wasn't much of a squeeze."

"Where are you going?" Viper asked as Li-Tang washed her face in the basin next to the door.

"I have to get downstairs to Mr. Ping. I work for him, remember?" Li-Tang laughed hoping she really hadn't damaged the snake.

"Oh, yeah," Viper laughed. "I forgot where I was. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, no... I've been working for him for a while now. So, we have a system worked out. You can watch if you'd like. Maybe being out of the palace for a while would do you some good."

"You're probably right," Viper said musing as an angry look crossed her face, then became embarrassment, before returning to normal.

"Coming?" Li-Tang asked holding the door open.

"Yes," Viper smiled and then looked up at the panda as she got to the door. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Li-Tang smiled at her as they left the room.

It was still dark as Tai Lung stood outside of his cave. Tigress had seen his true self. He hadn't been as careful as he should have been. Tai Lung sighed heavily and looked up at the clouds that were slowly dispersing.

"Leaving Shakka?" Tai Lung asked as a shadow loomed towards him.

"No jez yet," The shadow said getting closer until the image was clear as the moonlight streamed through the clouds. Shakka could be seen clearly now. The black mandrill chuckled as it sat down next to where Tai Lung was standing. "I still haffa make sure ya not gonna get yerself kill by a fat man."

"I gave him a year to train," Tai Lung said quietly.

"Wat about you?" Shakka asked putting his walking stick across his legs. "You keep dat woman 'ere and folks gonna come look for her."

"I know," Tai Lung said. "I know. But I can't just let her go. Especially, when she knows who I am now."

"Ah, yeah. She sees your face da odder night," Shakka said. "Ya not gonna paint your fur no mores? She might tink it was dream."

"I doubt it," Tai Lung said. "Master Tigress isn't as stupid as the panda or anyone else in the valley."

"I could make it so you stay black and maned for a while," Shakka said.

"And what would you want in return, Shakkalu?" Tai Lung sighed. "If it's got anything to do with your balls I don't want it."

"Nah, nah. You juz hafta get me blood," Shakka laughed. "You knows mine prices, boy."

Shakka looked up at Tai Lung smiling. Inwardly, Tai Lung shuddered. He hated when the mandrill smiled. It was always bad. The thought of having to collect blood also made him queasy. Not only did it have to be blood, but it had to be fresh. The blood had to be drained from a living creature and drank by the mandrill before the host it came from perished. The lionesses he had lived with never had a problem collecting it. But the first few times he'd seen it done he had wanted to throw up.

"All right," Tai Lung said. "Do it and I'll get you all the blood I can."

"Deal," Shakka said and hit Tai Lung over the head with his stick. Tai Lung saw stars for a moment before he blacked out.

Li-Tang busily ran from table to table balancing bowls of steaming noodles on her arms as she shrugged them on to the tables in front of patrons with what seemed to be no effort at all. Viper marveled at how easy she made everything look. The patrons themselves were amused and delighted by her way of serving them. It kept them entertained before they filled their stomachs. She never got an order wrong Viper had heard customers saying amongst themselves. They'd even tried to trick her a few times to see if she would mess up. They had changed their orders mid way through and asked for some things to be taken out. Except Li-Tang had an amazing memory. Viper laughed at her antics as she rushed around and even helped cook all the while making everything look so fluid. Viper was in awe. Since the only panda she had ever seen lumbering around had been Po. It was very different to see a panda who wasn't falling over its own feet or tumbling down stairs. Once everyone was served Li-Tang got a few moments for a break. She came and sat next to Viper on one of the bar stools in front of the cook stoves.

"Sorry, about all that," Li-Tang apologized. "Duty calls."

"Oh, no... I enjoyed it. No need to apologize." Viper smiled up at her. "You make it look so easy. Almost like ribbon dancing."

Li-Tang chuckled to herself, "It's harder than it looks. I've just been doing it for a while now."

"But Po... He isn't as smooth." Viper said. "Even when he worked here I remember him bumping in to tables and almost knocking over bowls and pots."

"Well, Po is a guy. But he also grew up here and not with other pandas." Li-Tang laughed. Viper nodded and smiled as she finished her own bowl of noodles. She didn't really want to get in to a conversation about Po at the moment. She felt her cheeks heating up as she thought about him, and her embarrassment.

"Po!" Master Shifu yelled interrupting Po's thoughts and cooking as he stood in the kitchen of the Jade Palace.

"Yes, Master?!" Po called as he jumped and nearly tipped over the large pot that was boiling on the stove. Effortlessly, Shifu jumped up and touched the pot lightly causing it to steady itself.

"Have you seen the others today?" Master Shifu asked him.

"No, although, I did hear Mei Ling in Crane's room. They were giggling," Po said. "It must've been a funny joke or they were hungry."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because," Po started. "They started moaning after that and then I guess they were dancing because there was a lot of thumping and..."

"Enough," Shifu said pulling his ears down. "I don't want to hear any more."

"Monkey and Mantis were talking last night about bathing or bath houses and something about breasts. I think everyone is hungry which is why I'm making my special stew. It's guaranteed to fill even me up!" Po announced proudly.

"Very good, Panda," Master Shifu said before turning and leaving. He didn't want to hear anymore. At the door of the kitchen he paused and turned back to Po.

"Po... You haven't seen Master Tigress have you?" Shifu asked cautiously hoping that Po didn't have any unsavory news to tell him about his step daughter.

"No, Master," Po answered him shaking his head. "But I imagine she's just as hungry as everyone else."

"ENOUGH, PANDA!" Shifu roared before bolting from the room. The last thing he wanted to imagine was Tigress naked with anyone.

Kataki slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was sitting up against the entrance of his cave. He looked down at his fur and noticed that it was black once again he reached up his neck and felt around his face. His mane was there also. He looked around but Shakka was already gone. He sighed. At least he wouldn't have to gather the blood until he found Shakka again. Inwardly, he knew the mandrill had returned to Africa. He went in to the cave to check on his prisoner. Tigress was sitting up slightly and looking around the cave.

Slowly, Kataki approached her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly. Tigress spun around to look at him.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "It... was... a... dream..."

"You sound disappointed," Kataki said as he sat down next to her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Tigress said. "I just could have sworn you had been someone else... Someone I barely knew..."

"And this person was... Your boyfriend?" Kataki asked.

"No... No... NO! Nothing like that. In fact he was the biggest murderer and villain the Valley of Peace had ever known..."

"Is that so?" Kataki prodded.

Tigress sighed and giggled, "But for a villain he was so handsome."

"And I'm not?" Kataki asked with a smile.

"Oh, no you're handsome..." Tigress smiled at him.

"Actually, I was asking if I was a villain too," Kataki laughed as he began stoking the fire as he noticed Tigress blushing. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," She answered.

"Good," Kataki said handing her a basket. "Cook us something, then."

Author's Note:

Hopefully, everyone is still following along. I'm still not understanding why Fanfiction allows me to pick 4 characters but then puts the two first choices together like it's insinuating something. ;) (I hate for a story to be given away by something like that!) Here is the 6th chapter. Also there will be sex, but I still have no idea what a "M" rating covers so I'm also going to post my story at . So, if you are interested in reading a more graphic story (when it gets to that point) you may want to check there as well. This will be the official "clean" version. Full of swears and innuendo.

Stick with me. I'm a slow writer and even worse at remembering to post at times. But as long as readers keep enjoying it, then I will continue to update.


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